2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Mathematics
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244 Mathematics Building
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
716-645-6284
www.buffalo.edu/cas/math.html
mathematics@buffalo.edu
Mathematics Department Undergraduate Office
math-undergrad@buffalo.edu
Daniel Sage, Ph.D.
Chair
Johanna Mangahas, Ph.D.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Mathematics Overview
Mathematics is a broad discipline with many diverse applications in social, managerial, and life sciences, as well as in the physical sciences and engineering. The Department of Mathematics provides a variety of concentrations leading to both Baccalaureates of Arts and Baccalaureate of Science degrees. Finally, collaborations with Economics and Physics allow for students to earn a BA in Mathematics-Economics or a Mathematical Physics BS, while a 5-year Mathematics BA/Mathematics Education EdM program is made possible by a collaboration with the Graduate School of Education.
The BA in Math offers students five options: the General Curriculum, and concentrations in Pure Math, Applied Math, Math Education, and Computing and Applied Mathematics. The BS in Math offers concentrations in Pure Math, Applied Math, and Actuarial Science.
The General Curriculum is the basic liberal arts major program in mathematics. It is well-suited for students who want to pursue mathematics as their second major. Students who consider mathematics their main interest should consider a concentration for more extensive training and better-defined career options.
The Computing and Applied Mathematics concentration is for students interested in careers as applied mathematicians or scientific computer programmers. In addition to the standard mathematics courses, students in concentration C take a year of programming in a high-level language, a course on principles of digital systems, and a course on data structures.
The General Study in Mathematics and Education concentration and the 5 Year UBTEACH Mathematics BA/EdM program are designed for the student whose career goal is to attain a master’s degree for professional certification in adolescent mathematics education. Completion of the major concentration (including the required education courses) provides advanced status toward initial New York State teacher certification, accomplished through one year of subsequent coursework at the graduate level through the Graduate School of Education. It is then possible to complete, within the state-mandated three years, the master’s degree required for a professional teaching certificate, provided that all NYS requirements have been successfully completed. The UBTEACH program facilitates earning both a BA in Mathematics and an EdM in Mathematics Education in 5 years. Program advisors are equipped to provide students with the program option that most closely matches their timeline and educational goals. Students interested in these programs should obtain advisement from the director or associate director of undergraduate studies in mathematics, 233 Mathematics Building for questions related to math and computer science courses, and, for questions related to the education courses, from the Office of Educator Preparation, 375 Baldy Hall.
Actuarial Science uses mathematical and statistical methods to assess and manage risk. Actuaries play a key role in insurance companies, financial institutions, government agencies etc. This program provides a curriculum for students who want to work as actuaries. It is also suitable for students interested in careers related to finance.
Both the Math BA and the Math BS offer a General Study in Mathematics concentration and a General Study in Applied Mathematics concentration. In each case, the BA and BS versions have the same list of required courses, with the BS version requiring additional upper-division courses in mathematics or in some cases, Computer Science and the BA version is subject to the more robust “Liberal Arts and Sciences” requirement that applies to all BA degrees. The General Study in Mathematics concentration is the best choice for a student with an interest in graduate study in pure mathematics, while the General Study in Applied Mathematics is the best choice for those interested in graduate study in applied mathematics. Either will also develop a robust analytical and quantitative skillset which can also be used to compete favorably for entry-level positions in business and industry where those skills are prized.
Faculty from both the Mathematics and Economics department teach courses for the Mathematics-Economics BA. Economics is the science that studies the consequences of scarcity, with applications to intelligent management and enhancement of scarce resources in diverse contexts, including government, policy, and sustainability, as well as business and financial planning. Mathematics is the study of idealized constructs used in modeling real-world phenomena, and can add depth and power to economic analyses, and enable insights that were previously inaccessible. The comprehensive Economics component of the curriculum emphasizes essential economic theory, statistical analyses of economic data, and their symbiosis in the discipline of “applied economics.” The additional mathematical component equips the student with the skills for more complex models and more computationally intensive techniques.
Mathematical Physics, while overseen by the Department of Physics, is co-administered by the Department of Mathematics. It is designed for students who wish to pursue graduate degrees in theoretical physics or applied mathematics and careers in these areas.
Academic Advising
Students obtain academic advice and guidance from the academic advisors in the College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisement & Services office (275 Park Hall) and from faculty in their program of study. The CAS Student Advisement and Services Office assists undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences to plan their academic trajectory, develop goals and successfully complete their college careers. The Mathematics Department Undergraduate office coordinates advising regarding major requirements, sequencing, choice of electives, and anything else where advanced knowledge of the mathematical content is useful.
Academic Advising Contact Information
College of Arts & Sciences Student Advisement & Services
275 Park Hall, North Campus
North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-4140
Phone: 716-645-6883
Email: cas-advisor@buffalo.edu
ProgramsMajorsCombinedMinors
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